The FCC wants to stop spam from reaching your PDA and/or cell phone. It's a step in the right direction and much appreciated, but may not protect cell phones and PDAs from forwarded spam emails.

The Federal Communications Commission yesterday moved to prevent cell phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) from becoming the next major frontier for e-mail spam.

The agency issued rules requiring marketers to have explicit permission from wireless-device users before they can be sent any commercial e-mail. And it urged the industry to develop technologies to prevent spam from overwhelming wireless devices the way it has swamped computer messaging.

"By prohibiting all commercial messages to wireless phones and PDAs absent affirmative consent from the consumer, Americans can now use their wireless devices freely, without being bothered by unwanted and annoying messages," FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell said in a prepared statement.

The rule covers a rapidly expanding array of Web-based e-mail services offered by wireless providers that enable customers to send and read messages via their phones or PDAs.